News » Discography

“Since its inception over 50 years ago, Teldec's Das Alte Werk label has been home to many outstanding and influential recordings that helped establish historically informed performance practice as an important new way to hear masterpieces of the Baroque and more, spearheaded by the label's groundbreaking Bach cantata recordings by Nikolaus Harnoncourt and Gustav Leonhardt.

“ArkivMusic's Spring Opera Sale has just begun! Every complete opera recording on CD and DVD is now on sale, along with a selection of new vocal and recital collections.

In addition to our featured titles below, this month we highlight the newly reissued series from Decca Opera and EMI Opera, the first-time-on-CD releases from Sony's Metropolitan Opera historic broadcasts, and the award-winning Opera in English series from Chandos.”

This month, Hyperion highlights their Studio Master FLAC & ALAC downloads. “A number of our newest albums offer Studio Master FLAC & ALAC files. These are 24-bit and at whatever sampling frequency (44.1 kHz, 88.2 kHz or 96 kHz) was used by the recording engineer at the time of recording (hence 'Studio Master'). These files are anything up to five times the size of their 16-bit 44.1 kHz equivalents and are more expensive. You should check the documentation of your playback equipment for compatibility with higher bit-rates and frequencies; most of our newest albums offer sample tracks for you to download and test free of charge. …” as well as new titles released this month.

“Tune thy Musicke to thy Hart has become the third Stile Antico disc to be honoured by French magazine Classica. According to the citation, Stile Antico and Fretwork 'adapt wondrously to the diversity of styles, and the large polyphonic structures are here rendered with rare precision.'”

“This month's news from CORO includes another new release and our special selection of Easter recordings which provide opportunities for reflection and celebration alike. We hope you find something in the selection to help you welcome in the warmer spring weather in the run up to Easter.

Also look out for The Sixteen’s James MacMillan CD on BBC Radio 3’s CD Review on Saturday 17th March. …”

Weekend specials at ArkivMusic where you may find some early music titles of interest. Of note:“Los Pajaros Perdidos / Christina Pluhar, L'arpeggiata” -- Echoes from the pre-Columbian era, African rhythms, and the styles and structures of the European Baroque all enrich this thrilling and arresting fusion of musical styles from the 17th century to the present day.

“Harmonia Mundi is well known as one of the finest independent classical record labels in the world. In the United States, they also distribute many other exceptional European labels which share their standards of excellence. This month at ArkivMusic, we are turning the spotlight on a handful of these "boutique" classical labels and the terrific classical recordings they produce. …”

BIS's Boss Robert von Bahr:This is a very, very special release. The release date coincides with the passing of exactly one year since the terrible disaster in Japan. It was Masaaki Suzuki's idea to release this compilation in order to give solace to the victims of this disaster - the music has been especially chosen for this purpose, including some newly recorded material - and also to contribute to their physical well-being: all the royalties are going to the Tohoku Relief Foundation and BIS are matching that, penny for penny.

ArkivMusic holds regularly held weekend specials of its CD holdings. You may be interested in adding the site on your links of early music sites as some of its sale items may be of interest to you. This weekend has its 2-disc set of the J.C. Bach: Milanese Vesper Psalms/Concerto Köln on sale.

“Bach's St. John Passion is one of the masterworks of the choral repertory, but it took time for it to be acknowledged as the masterpiece it truly is. It was re-discovered after Mendelssohn's performance of the St. Matthew Passion in 1829 had stunned the music world, awakening it to the superlative quality of Bach's vocal music, and, at the same time, creating an upsurge in the performance of choral music in general, which continues to this day. This recording of the St. John Passion by the Bach Choir of Bethlehem – America's oldest Bach society -- is an acknowledgement of an important part of its history.

A little late, but … if you can still catch this sale event and are interested in any of the sale items … the sale ends by the end-of-day midnight EST February 29th. There are early music titles available that may be of interest.

“Outhere is an independent musical production and publishing company whose discs are published under the catalogues Æon, Alpha, Fuga Libera, Outnote, Ramée, Ricercar and Zig Zag Territoires. Each catalogue has its own well defined identity. Our discs and our digital products cover a repertoire ranging from ancient and classical music to the contemporary, jazz and world music. We work with great artists and established ensembles, but we are also keen to invest in the development of young talent.

Stile Antico and FretworkTune Thy Musicke to thy Hart
Tudor and Jocobean Music for Private Devotion

On Tune thy Musick to thy Hart the young British stars of song Stile Antico are joined by the award-winning viol consort Fretwork to explore the wealth of Tudor and Jacobean sacred music written not for church performance, but for the court and for the home. Sung entirely in English, the program invites audiences to eavesdrop on this profound and moving musical experience.

American Bach Soloists recent newsletter lets us know of its latest recording of Bach's St. Matthew Passion (2000) available on iTunes. However, instead, you may to take a look at its “discography” web page and take stock of its impressive catalogue of available CD titles. Quite an impressive display.

“ArkivMusic now has the Apex budget series of titles from Erato, Teldec, and Warner Classics on sale at 3 CDs for $20! Our featured titles are below. Buy 3 or more CDs from our complete section of eligible titles and you will be charged only $6.66 per disc. The more you buy, the more you save! Be sure to also view our list of Apex 2-disc sets at just $9.99 each! (Note: Our Apex 3-for-$20 sale does not include ArkivCDs or imports; sale ends 3/12/12.)”

ArkivMusic has on sale one of classical music's classiest labels, Harmonia Mundi, with noteworthy new releases and frontline titles available at $7 off list price plus a selection of reissues for only $6.99 each! Our featured titles are below, or view the entire catalog while it is all on sale! (Sale ends 3/5/12.)

“As Mignarda, we typically perform music for voice and lute from the 16th century, an enterprise that keeps us busy enough. But it turns out that our musical tastes do extend to the repertory of 19th century 'heart songs' or, the better-known descriptor, parlor songs.

(Note from editor -- The Sixteen continue adding to their digital shop with both new and back catalogue titles.)

“Since launching our digital site in September it has been our aim to make The Sixteen’s latest recordings available as Master Quality downloads. And so we are delighted to announce that our new disc The Earth Resounds, which features all of the repertoire from this year’s Choral Pilgrimage, is available in 96kHz/24-bit FLAC or ALAC files which were created direct from the studio master. MP3 and AAC files of the recording are also available to purchase. …

“We begin with a tribute to a legendary musician and leader in the field of early music, a singer whose haunting voice moved the hearts and souls of audiences, and inspired many musicians to further explore repertoire rarely heard. On November 23rd, 2011, Montserrat Figueras died in Barcelona, Spain after a year-long battle with cancer.

ArkivMusic.com has a few new releases at some savings that may be of interest to you (sale ends 3/27/12):

Tune thy Musicke to thy Hart / Stile Antico (Stile Antico and Fretwork explore a long-neglected repertory – the wealth of Tudor and Jacobean sacred music written for domestic devotion, rather than for church worship)

Beethoven: Complete Symphonies / Thielemann, Vienna Philharmonic (Thielemann’s Beethoven is rigorous, intellectual, and well considered, and the playing is outstanding throughout. A bold attempt to recapture and redefine Beethoven for the 21st century. (6 CDs + DVD);

Air: The Bach Album / Meyers, Mercurio, English Chamber Orchestra (On her new album, Anne Akiko Meyers performs both solo parts in Bach's Double Concerto on two different Stradivari violins as well as Violin Concertos 1 & 2, the Air on the G String, and the Bach/Gounod Ave Maria.) …

There seems to be a lot on special this weekend at ArkivMusic. You may want to take a look at their early music offerings from Tune thy Musicke to thy Hart / Stile Antico; Air - The Bach Album / Anne Akiko Meyers; Air - The Bach Album / Anne Akiko Meyers.

Additionally, ArkivMusic is also running Hungaroton which has a proud tradition of promoting Hungarian music and artists.

“BIS's Boss Robert von Bahr:It is hard to sit and write texts about certain SACD:s without succumbing to ridiculous boasting, and this is one case in point. The very fact that we have asked Ronald Brautigan to record Complete Mozart (10 CD:s), Complete Haydn (16) and the Mozart Concerti (ongoing),

“La Catena d'Adone

La Catena d'Adone, first performed on 12 February 1626, presents the characteristics of the genre. A pastoral tale in a prologue and five acts, it relates the tumultuous love affairs of Adonis, Apollo, Venus and the enchantress Falsirena. The frivolous and sensual, even erotic, tone of the work has its response in the Christian moral...”